Full Name | Thomas Kim |
Nicknames | Crazy braniac Mr Tall, Dark and Ugly (as "Tantrum") |
Species | Metahuman (Bang Baby) |
Gender | ![]() |
Age | 14 |
Status | Alive |
Professional Status | |
Occupation | Student |
Powers & Abilities |
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Background | |
Residence | Dakota |
Family |
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Behind the Scenes | |
Debut | "Tantrum" |
Final | "Tantrum" |
Voice Actors | John Cho |
Gallery |
“ | A tantrum? Me? I would never do that! | ” |
— Thomas Kim, in Tantrum |
Thomas Kim is a Bang Baby and the main antagonist of Episode 13. He is one of Virgil and Richie's classmates and is among the brightest students of Dakota Union High. When stressed or outraged, he unknowingly undergoes a metamorphosis, revealing his monstrous Bang Baby form.
Physical Appearance[]
Civilian[]
Thomas is a young Asian boy with short black hair and black eyes. His hair is straight and kept in a curtain undercut. He also wears round, thin-framed glasses. He's seen in two main civilian outfits:
- His first outfit is a dark blue suit buttoned over a white shirt and blue tie. He wears black shoes with the ensemble.
- His second outfit is the same except for the dark blue blazer.
Bang Baby[]
In his Bang Baby form, Thomas becomes a large, hulking figure. His hair turns orange and his skin turns purple. His scleras become green and his irises turn red. His only piece of clothing is a pair of blue pants, ripped around the waist and legs.
Personality[]
Thomas is a very stoic and no-nonsense person. He is well-dressed, organized and smart. He dislikes it when his classmates fool around, partially because he does not know how to enjoy himself. This is seen in his attempts to learn something while on a field trip to the amusement park. As a result of his academic-driven life, he is quite asocial and doesn't seem to have any friends. Thomas is also shown to grow stressed and/or angered over minor things, likely because of the need for perfection instilled in him by his father. This can be seen in his visibly sulking then growing angry over getting 99% on an English essay.
As "Tantrum", Thomas expresses his frustrations in bursts of violent anger, often directed at the thing that upset him.
Powers and Abilities[]
- Superhuman strength
- Reduced vulnerability
History & Synopsis[]
History[]
Thomas Kim grew up in a household with a strict father and loving mother. He has been a straight-A student from as early as first grade. It is implied that this comes from his father, who hyper-focused on his grades to the point where Thomas worries about taking home a 99% instead of a 100%. As a result, Thomas is a perfectionist who keeps organized, keeps his grades up and grows disgruntled when others don't take things seriously.
It is never stated how but Thomas gained superpowers after the Big Bang, becoming a Metahuman. Now, whenever he is enraged, he transforms into a giant purple monster whose main motive is revenge.
Synopsis[]
"Tantrum's" first outburst happens at a random restaurant, presumably in response to his classmates' food fight earlier that day. He trashes the place, sending customers running for their life. He only stops when he gets distracted by Static.
His next victim is his English teacher, Miss Pettibone. Thomas had received a 99/100 instead of a perfect score because of one typographical error. At first, he is sullen but grows irritable with his classmates teasing. After school, he attacks the teacher in his Bang Baby form, but Static intervenes. "Tantrum" is much stronger, however, and throws Static in a dumpster. Confident that the "bad man" who zapped him is gone, "Tantrum" leaves the scene.
The next day, Virgil and Richie go to see Thomas. Richie had found Thomas' near-perfect essay on the crime scene, and the two decided to use it as a segue to investigating Thomas. Offended by the accusation, Thomas sends them away. He becomes angry and slowly transforms into "Tantrum" once more. Seeking revenge, he attacks Virgil and Richie in the Hawkins' home. Virgil drives him off and, as Static, lures him to an abandoned amusement park. Virgil uses the same approach his mother had with him when he was a baby and allows Thomas to tire himself out. Exhausted, Thomas reverts to his human form. Virgil explains that, after learning about the situation, Thomas' parents made sure he got the best of care to deal with it.
Notable Quotes[]
- "This is still a class field trip, guys. We're supposed to be learning something."
- "Miss Pettibone, I think there's a problem here... You gave me a 99 but I didn't get anything wrong. You made a grading mistake."
- "Academic achievements cannot begin early enough."
- "A tantrum? Me? I would never do that! And I don't appreciate the two of you goofing on me like this!"
Relationships[]
Mr Kim[]
Thomas is shown to have internalized his father's strictness and insistence on perfection. The only time they are shown interacting is through a study session wherein his father asks questions and he answers. When asked a question he doesn't believe will be on the test, Thomas expresses this. However, his father tells him "That attitude is the difference between a perfect score and a 99." This scene highlight Thomas' learned hatred for imperfection.
Mrs Kim[]
Thomas' mother seems more sweet and laid-back than his father. She shows greater interest in her son making friends than his studying.
Classmates[]
Thomas is never seen interacting directly with any of his classmates outside of Virgil and Richie, showing his unsociable nature. However, he does react to their behavior (and they to him). On the field trip, when a food fight breaks out, he scowls and leaves the room. This incident becomes the trigger for his first outburst as "Tantrum". Later, when he contests his 99/100, his classmates laugh. One calls him a nerd and another calls him a "Crazy braniac".
Tropes[]
Note: Trope names are adopted from TVTropes.org
Asian & Nerdy: Thomas' name and design imply that he is Korean/Asian-American. He's also a straight-A student obsessed with his school work. Justified as he is constantly under pressure to get good grades from his academically-obsessed father.
Disproportionate Retribution: Attacked his teacher Ms. Pettibone when she gave him a 99 on a test due to a typographical error. Also attempted to attack Virgil and Richie for joking with him.
Gentle Touch vs. Firm Hand: Shown to have an overly strict father who demands nothing less than perfection from him in his school work. His mother, on the hand, seems more happy that he actually has friends, insisting he take a break from studying to hang out with them.
HULK MASH!-Up: Heavily resembles and acts like the Hulk in his Bang Baby form.
- Hulking Out: Turns completely purple, grows large and becomes a major brute when he gets angry.
- Hulk Speak: As a Bang Baby, Thomas speaks exclusively by shouting or growling, avoids verb tenses and hardly says any sentences with more than three words.
Jekyll & Hyde: Thomas was completely unaware of his mutation. He never remembered the events that occurred or even where he'd gone while in his Bang Baby form. Lampshaded in the episode as well.
- "If he's a Bang Baby, he has no clue, Rich. Maybe he's like Jekyll and Hyde or something."
Superpowered Evil Side: When upset by something, Thomas would unknowingly transform into a huge, powerful, rage-filled monster and go on a rampage. "Tantrum" was essentially the physical manifestation of his stress and anger.
Victory by Endurance: Static manages to beat "Tantrum" by letting him wear himself out from chasing and attacking him. Even with all his strength, Thomas still had his limit.
Trivia[]
- Despite the episode title, several references in the episode and his fandom-given nickname, Thomas is never actually called "Tantrum" at any point in the episode.
- Virgil and Richie automatically assume that "Tantrum" is a Bang Baby, possibly because of his distinctly purple skin. However, how he got in contact with the Big Bang/Quantum Vapor is never revealed.
- Thomas' Bang Baby mutation and way of speaking resembles Marvel's Hulk.
- Ironically, despite his father being the major source of Thomas' undue anxieties about school, he never actually tries to attack him.
- Thomas' voice actor, John Cho, is Korean-American like the character.
Etymology & Inspirations[]
- Kim is the most popular Korean surname. It is also not uncommon for American-born Asian-Americans to have a typically western first name.
- Thomas' characterization and background falls heavily into the "Nerdy Asian" and "Overbearing Asian Parent" tropes. The reasoning behind this stereotype is that most Asian cultures regard education and smarts as very important things. Children are expected to study very hard to obtain good grades and get into good schools. For this reason, nerdy Asian characters are all but guaranteed to have an overbearing Asian parent.
- His "Tantrum" form may have been inspired by Hulk.
References[]
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Characters | ||
FAMILIES META-HUMANS/BANG BABIES OTHERS |